William Lawrence House (Bellefontaine, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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William Lawrence House
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Front and side of the Lawrence House
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 325 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, Ohio |
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| Area | 0.6 acres (0.24 ha) |
| Built | 1860 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001884 |
| Added to NRHP | August 24, 1979 |
The William Lawrence House is an old and important house in Bellefontaine, Ohio. It stands on Main Street, just north of the city's center. This house is special because it was once the home of William Lawrence. He was a very important politician in the late 1800s, serving in the U.S. Congress.
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About the House
The William Lawrence House is a large, square building with two floors. It measures about 50 feet on each side. The roof is shaped like a pyramid, called a hip roof. Its walls are made of brick and sit on a strong stone foundation.
When the house was first built, it had many chimneys. Most of these have been removed over time. Some doors have also been replaced. A new section was added to the back of the house. There is also a small stone porch on the side.
The front of the house, facing Main Street, looks much like it did when it was new. Only the window shutters have been removed. Inside, you can still see many original parts. This includes beautiful walnut wood panels and two cherry wood fireplaces.
One of the most amazing original features is the spiral staircase. It winds its way up from the first floor. It goes all the way to a skylight above the second floor.
William Lawrence's original dining room and kitchen were damaged by a fire. In 1947, new owners bought the house. They completely changed these rooms. They turned them into a storage area for the new back section.
William Lawrence's Home
Building the House
The Lawrence House was built around 1860. It was designed in a style called Italianate. This style was popular at the time. We don't know the exact date it was finished. But we know it was before 1861. In that year, someone from the Lawrence family carved their initials and the date into a windowsill.
Who Was William Lawrence?
William Lawrence was born in 1819 in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. He became a lawyer. In 1841, he moved to Logan County, Ohio. He lived there for most of his life.
While living in Bellefontaine, he held many important jobs. He worked in county offices. He was elected to both parts of the Ohio General Assembly, which makes laws for Ohio. He also served six terms in the U.S. Congress. Later, he was appointed as the First Comptroller of the Treasury. This was a high-level government job.
Lawrence was known as an expert in land law. He helped farmers in the Great Plains win a big lawsuit. They won almost a million acres of land from railroad companies. He was also an important person in Logan County. He served on the board of trustees for Geneva College. He was also very interested in farming. After he passed away, his property included several farms.
Lawrence bought the land for his house in 1852. It was at the corner of Main Street and High Avenue in Bellefontaine. He built his house there about eight years later. He owned the property until 1897. Then, he gave it to his family. But he continued to live there until he died two years later.
What Happened After Lawrence?
After William Lawrence died, his wife Caroline sold the house in 1901. Dr. W.W. Hamer bought it. He turned it into Bellefontaine's first hospital.
Later, a family lived in the house. Then, the Howard Kerr American Legion Post owned it. After that, B.O. Beatty, who owned a car dealership, bought it. Beatty owned the house for only a short time. He then sold it to the new Calvary Baptist Church.
The church quickly started to change the house. They spent two years renovating it. They added the new section at the back, which became their church sanctuary. They also removed the kitchen and dining room, which had been damaged by fire when the American Legion used the house. The rest of the house was used for offices and Sunday School classrooms. Church members first worshipped there on March 6, 1949.
As more people joined, Calvary Baptist needed a bigger building. They built a new church in 1972. The William Lawrence House was empty for a while. Then, a group of lawyers bought it. Today, a law office is still in the house. The back addition has been turned into offices for other businesses.
In 1979, the William Lawrence House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. The house was added because it has been well-preserved. But mostly, it was added because of its connection to William Lawrence.
